Haroon Q Raja

Samsung’s latest flagship in its Galaxy S line, the S5, is one of the hottest smartphones announced this year. If you’re all set to buy the phone as soon as it hits shelves in many markets within weeks, but aren’t sure about whether to make the jump or not due to concerns about having root access on the device, worry no more! XDA Senior Recognized Developer Chainfire has done it again, rooting the international variant of the Galaxy S5 before even its release, just has he has done multiple times in the past with the previous flagships phones. In what follows, we’ll guide you through the process of rooting the S5 (SM-G900F) using his tried and tested CF-Auto-Root method.
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A lot of Android enthusiasts use custom recoveries such as TWRP and ClockworkMod for flashing ROMs and mods, taking and restoring full device backups, and even managing their files using the full-featured AROMA file manager. And while most users wouldn’t really need to take screenshots in recovery mode, us bloggers, developers of custom recoveries and AROMA-based apps, as well as designers of recovery themes need this functionality often to showcase what they’re reviewing or working on. In what follows, we will guide you through the process of easily taking screenshots of your Android device while it is booted in recovery mode, regardless of what custom recovery it’s running.
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Google Now is arguably one of the best personal information aggregation services that we’ve seen so far. It’s like having a personal assistant at your service all the time, to present you with just the information you need – a task the ancestors of our modern smartphones, which were aptly called PDAs (short for Personal Digital Assistants), aspired to accomplish. Since its debut on Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, Google Now has come a long way, with several new cards being added with each OS update, as well as iOS support added last year. On the desktop front, last year brought Google Now-like information-rich cards Google search results, and Google Now-style natural language voice search added to Chrome. The latest update in this series of Google Now expansion brings its cards to Chrome’s notification center. Let’s take a closer look after the jump.
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I’m a huge fan of using gestures instead of buttons for quickly performing several actions on our devices. Nokia got it just right with their version of MeeGo on the amazing N9, but that device was sadly doomed to failure before even its launch due to Nokia’s exclusive Windows Phone deal with Microsoft. Next came Ubuntu Touch with a similar edge gesture-driven interface, which I completely fell in love with when I tried it out for my review. While Android doesn’t natively offer such system-wide edge gestures, we’ve seen third-party apps like Switchr bring this functionality to our favorite mobile OS. Though none of the options we’ve previously seen offer the robust functionality of the app we’re about to take for a spin. Navigation Layer just might be the ultimate edge gesture control solution for Android, offering multiple gestures from the left, right and bottom edges of your screen, each of which can be configured to perform an action of your choice such as OS navigation, music playback control, task management and even launching apps.
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When it comes to video players for Windows that have the ability to play just about any format you throw at them, KMPlayer is one of the first names that comes to mind, along with VLC Player. This standalone player comes with built-in codec support for a plethora of video formats without the need for any external codecs, and offers more customization options than you would know what to do with. While Android and iOS both already have many excellent video players available, it never hurts to have more great options at your disposal. If you’re a fan of KMPlayer, you’ll be glad to know that its developers have released it to both Google Play Store and the iTunes App Store for your Android and iOS devices. Join us as we take the Android version of the app for a spin.
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Upon releasing Android 4.4 KitKat on the Nexus 5, Google decided to ditch the AOSP launcher in favor of its all-new Google Now Launcher, featuring tight integration with Google Now, complete with ‘OK Google’ hotword detection to trigger Google Now voice search right from your home screen without even having to touch your phone. As awesome as this feature is, it’s limited specifically to the Google Now Launcher, and doesn’t work with any other launcher (including the AOSP launcher) even on KitKat. However, if you are using Apex, Nova, Samsung TouchWiz or HTC Sense launchers, you can now get similar voice-activated Google Now voice search capability right on your home screen with Active Searching by XDA-Developers Senior Member sam_0829.
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As we are trusting our smartphones more and more with our private data, it is becoming increasingly important to take the necessary measures for keeping that data out of reach of prying eyes. Just a few months ago, we took a look at five great tools for password-protecting apps on Android, but the app that we’re about to take for a spin today has what it takes to give them all a run for their money. Aptly named Lockdown Pro, this awesome app offers basic as well as advanced app locking features for newbies and seasoned users alike, and looks great while at it. Featuring multiple PIN & pattern options, geo-fencing, stealth mode to conceal the app’s very presence, and several great-looking themes for the unlocking screen, this should be a must-have on every Android phone and tablet out there. And best of all, it’s completely free, without even any ads!
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Since its release last month, Muzei Live Wallpaper has gained a lot of acclaim from its users for bringing gorgeous wallpapers from different sources to their home screens. Another app that a lot of Android power users love is Tasker, known for its ability to let users automate countless tasks on Android. While Muzei can automatically rotate your wallpaper, how about the ability to do it based on context, action or any condition supported by Tasker? Taskei acts as a bridge between these two apps to let you do just that. Let’s take a look at how that works.
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Despite not boating the same specs as the other flagships of its generation like the HTC One and Galaxy S4, the Moto X is quite a remarkable device, and perhaps Motorola’s most critically acclaimed smartphone to date. Besides offering customization options for the phone itself, Moto X comes with some nifty software features too, that set it apart from the rest. One such feature is Active Display that lets you view the time and your latest notifications even when the screen is off, without having to go to the phone’s lock screen. The feature draws little battery power, thanks to the device’s AMOLED screen. If you want the utility of the same feature without actually having to get a Motorola device, XDA Recognized Developer AChep has the solution for you in AcDisplay, as long as you’re running KitKat. Read on for details.
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Who doesn’t love cartoons? And when it comes to characters like SpongeBob SquarePants, even many of the macho ones among us have a soft corner in our hearts for the adventures of the adorably funny sponge and its gang. And then there’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles – a show I remember growing up following with such religious dedication that no amount of homework or parents’ threats for exam prep would make me miss an episode. To ensure that you get your daily dose of SpongeBob, TMNT, The Fairly OddParents and more, Nickelodeon has released its fun-filled Android app on Google Play. So, let’s dig in and see what it has to offer the kids out there, as well as those inside us adults.
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The ability to boot multiple operating systems has always been the strong point of PCs, but in today’s age, the smartphone is the new PC, and it only makes sense to be able to install and run different operating systems on our phones and tablets to get the most out of them. Among the various multiboot solutions that we’ve seen so far, MultiROM by XDA Recognized Developer Tasssadar is perhaps the most promising. After letting enthusiasts boot multiple Android ROMs as well as Ubuntu Touch and even Firefox OS on Nexus 4 and Nexus 7 for quite a while, MultiROM has been ported to the HTC Droid DNA by XDA Senior Member jamiethemorris. While the currently available ROM support may not include other operating systems, it still allows you to boot multiple Android ROMs on your device on your external storage. Read on to learn more.
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Be it an application or an entire operating system, the ability to apply themes to it makes using it a much more personalized experience. Like any major operating system, Windows has had theming support available since its early days, and it has been constantly improved over time. Last year, we brought you a list of 25 of our favorite themes and visual styles for Windows 8, and now, it’s time to look at what has since become available for the latest version of Microsoft’s OS i.e. Windows 8.1. So, let’s take a look at some of the most beautiful themes for Windows 8.1 by both Microsoft and third-parties.
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Using gestures is a great way to quickly access different apps, settings or sections of any mobile OS, and a prime example of their use is the default notification shade that can be accessed using a downward swipe from the status bar in Android in order to access your notifications and quick settings. Though when it comes to using a smartphone with a single hand, that gesture can be a difficult to maneuver. If you want quick access to your phone’s settings, currently running and recently launched apps, contacts, quick in-app actions and more, all using gestures that can be activated from the phone’s side edges, try Quickr. Developed by the team behind the famous Root Uninstaller and 1Tap Quick Bar apps, Quickr comes with pre-configured as well as customizable panels that you can bring up with gestures for quick access to all the aforementioned actions.
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While rooting truly unleashes the full potential of Android, it also has some shortcomings such as voiding your warranty, and being refused support by manufacturers, carriers and even some app developers. However, none of these are as annoying as the inability to run certain apps on your rooted device just because their developers have added checks for root access in the apps that close the app after showing you an error message when they detect that your phone has been rooted. Most of these developers do so for security reasons to prevent malicious apps from getting access to your sensitive data such as account information in banking apps, while there are others who do it to protect the proprietary content offered through their apps from getting recorded. If you’re facing a situation where you have to choose between root access and the ability to use certain apps, fret not! RootCloak Plus (Cydia) offers a no-compromise solution, and we’re about to show you how to use it for the purpose.
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CyanogenMod needs no introduction when it comes to the custom ROM scene of Android. Over the past couple of years, the team behind the ROM has augmented it with several apps, and we have covered a few of them already, including CyanogenMod Messaging, CyanogenMod File Manager, Chronus (cLock) widget and CyanogenMod Screencast. For the next version of the ROM, its developers are working on a new gallery app aplty named GalleryNext, and to give users a preview as well as get their feedback to help with its development, the team has decided to release the app as a public beta on Play Store, that you can install and take on a spin right now. Let’s take a closer look at the app and its features.
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With the release of Android 4.4 KitKat on the Nexus 5, Google introduced an update to the Hangouts app with support for SMS, and later pushed out the update to Play Store for everyone. What I personally like best about the interface of Hangouts is the ability to quickly switch between the conversation list and the currently open conversation itself using a simple gesture. If you don’t want to switch to Hangouts for your SMS and MMS needs, but would like to have a similar interface in your messaging app, try EvolveSMS. In addition to a Hangouts-like interface, the free app also boasts some customization options, along with a theming support and a bunch of more powerful features unlockable via in-app purchases. Join us as we take a closer look at this new messaging app for Android.
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2013 was yet another great year for Android and its app ecosystem, with developers really making best use of the power offered by the world’s most popular mobile operating system, resulting in many apps that left us spellbound. My personal favorites from this year include Aviate launcher, Cover lock screen, Fleksy keyboard, Switchr, PushBullet, Themer, Smart Launcher, Disa, Lightning Browser, DashClock, Tonido, Condi, Timely, Simplenote, Readmill, NicePlayer, Focal, Spotflux, Duolingo and 9GAG, and these are just the ones that I have been actively using since first trying them. Needless to say, these aren’t the only great apps from the year. So, join us as we take a look at the best Android apps from 2013 (including the ones mentioned above) that we’ve covered for you here at AddictiveTips.
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Google introduced the new Immersive Mode in Android 4.4 KitKat that automatically hides the status bar and the navigation bar for certain apps, letting you view the app in full screen mode while still being able to bring up either of the system bars by swiping down from the top edge or swiping up from the bottom one. However, this mode works only in apps that have it enabled by their developers, giving users no control over the apps for which it gets enabled. Though thanks to Immerse Me Xposed Module by XDA Senior Member MohammadAG, you can now enable the full screen Immersive Mode for all your apps, as long as you have a rooted Android 4.4+ KitKat device with the Xposed framework installed.
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If you like to stay up to date with the latest news stories from your favorite online sources right on your Android phone or tablet via RSS feeds, chances are you’ve come across gReader at some point in time. gReader was perhaps the popular third-party Google Reader client available for Android, which later started supporting Feedly and a few other popular RSS services after the demise of Google’s Reader earlier this year. The developers of gReaders have recently decided to release the app’s successor by the name of News+ that builds on the same awesome interface and feature-set of gReader, while adding the possibility of having several news and RSS services as your news sources, thanks to its great extensions-based architecture that makes it possible for any developer to create extensions for more sources, and make them available to the app’s users. Let’s take a look at this promising app in detail.
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As expected for any Nexus device, Google’s latest flagship, the Nexus 5, is seeing a lot of interesting third-party development, and the latest in the series is the awesome MultiROM landing on the device. For those unfamiliar with it, MultiROM lets you install and boot multiple operating systems to an Android device, and has so far supported Nexus 4 and Nexus 7, with the Nexus 5 just joining in recently. For now, you can use it on your Nexus 5 to multi-boot any of the awesome Android ROMs available for it. What’s more, you aren’t even restricted to Android-based secondary ROMs; you can even install Ubuntu Touch or Firefox OS as one of your secondary ROMs and boot into them, as soon as they become available for the device (which is likely to be by their next major release).
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About Addictivetips

AddictiveTips is a tech blog focused on helping users find simple solutions to their everyday problems. We review the best desktop, mobile and web apps and services out there, in addition to useful tips and guides for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS and Windows Phone. Read more...